Manufacture of strap sandals



June 17, 1941. w, -r 2,245,706

MANUFACTURE OF STRAP SANDALS Filed Sept. 15, 1939 Patented June 17, 1941UNETED STATES PATENT QFFIQE MANUFAQ'JTURE F STRAP SANDALS William H.Nutt, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation,Borough of Flemington, N. .L, a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationSeptember 15, 1939, Serial No. 295,115

(Cl. l2146) 12 Claims.

sole, an outsole, and an upper consisting of a v plurality ofcrossstraps, the ,end portions of which are inturned between themarginal portions of the soles, the inturned end portions of the strapstend to produce undesirable ridges or irregularities of surface contoureither in the tread face of the outsole or in the foot-facing surface ofthe insole. It has been proposed to obviate this difficulty by removingmaterial from the marginal portion of the insole in spaced localities toprovide strap-receiving recesses in which the end ..1

portions of the straps may be disposed in substantially flush relationto the unrecessed portions of the insole surface. The results thusobtained, however, have not been entirely satisfactory inasmuch as theinsoles have been weakened where the material has been removed anddifficulty has been experienced in obtaining a secure and permanentattachment of the straps to the insole.

It is one object of the present invention to provide strap-receivingrecesses in an insole without weakening the insole and to this end, asherein shown, I provide an insole of readily compressible butsubstantially inelastic material and, by compressing and compactingrelatively narrow portions spaced from one another along the margin atone side of the insole, I provide a plurality of strap-receivingrecesses in the insole while leaving the portions of the insole wherethe recesses are formed at least as strong as the rest of the insole.While the recesses may be made each of a depth corresponding to thethickness of the straps, it may be found desirable, as hereinillustrated, to make each recess of a depth somewhat less than thethickness of the straps and to compensate for the difference between thethickness of the straps and the depth of the recesses by securingmembers in the nature of filler pieces to the marginal surface of theinsole in the locations between the recesses. As illustrated, thesefiller pieces may constitute tabs or wings formed as marginalprojections upon a covering applied to the foot-facing side of theinsole. In making the insole, after the covering has been applied, thetabs will be folded over the edge and the recessed side of the insoleand after being secured in place, as by means of cement or otherwise,the tabs W111 function to cover the edge of the insole in the spacesbetween the straps, as well as to compensate for the additionalthickness of the straps and to provide for more secure attachment of theoutsole to the shoe bottom in the localities between the straps.

Invention is also to be recognized as residing in the improvements ininsoles and sandals hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be explained with reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an insole embodyingfeatures of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the insole taken in a plane indicated bythe line II-II of Fig. 1, illustrating the operation of forming thestrap-receiving recesses or depressions therein;

Fig. 3 is a View, partially in section in the same plane as Fig. 2, andpartially in perspective, of the insole;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of my improved strap sandal in process ofmanufacture; and

Fig. 5 is a view, partially in perspective and partially incross-section, of the completed sandal.

As illustrated in the drawing, my improved insole is prepared by havingformed therein a plurality of marginal strap-receiving recesses ill, therecesses being formed or molded while the insole is in a flat conditionby compressing or compacting the insole material where the recesses areto be located. The locations of the recesses will vary in accordancewith the style of the sandal in which the insole is to be used, theillustrated insole having the recesses formed only in its fore-' part.However, if straps are to be employed in the shank or in the shank andheel portions of the sandal, the strap-receiving recesses will be formedin these portions of the insole. To facilitate proper shaping of therecesses and to insure that the shape and depth of the recesses shall bepermanently retained, it is preferred to provide an insole composed ofreadily compressible and substantially inelastic material, such, forexample, as a composition of wood pulp and latex, or

other fabricated or so-called manufactured insole material of the sortcommonly employed as a substitute for sole leather.

The molding of the recesses in the insole may conveniently beaccomplished, a illustrated in Fig. 2, by placing the insole upon atable or support M (which may be the bed or platen of a press),positioning molding dies or presser members it upon the marginal portionof the insole in the localities where the recesses are to be formed, thedie being shaped to form recesses corresponding in width tothe width ofthe straps to be used in the sandal, and forcing the dies toward thetable or platen by means of a vertically movable pressure applyingmember it. In thi way a plurality of recesses or depressions is may bemade simultaneously by single pressure applying operation. The depth ofthe recesses it will be gauged with reference to the thickne of thesandal straps if desired, the depth of the recesses may be made tocorrespond to the thickness of the straps so that after the end portionsof the straps have been received and secured within the recesses theexposed surfaoes oi these strap portions will be iiush with the adjacentportions of that surface of the insole which is to race the outsole.However, as herein illustrated, the recesses or depressions iii may bemade of less depth than the thickness of the straps, and members 23 inthe nature oi filler pieces may be secured to the recessed side of theinsole in the localities between the recesses, the thickness of thefiller pieces being such that the distance from the bottoms of therecesses to the exposed faces of the filler pieces will be substantiallyequal to the thickness of the straps and thus, when the strap arereceived in the recesses, the exposed surfaces of the traps will beflush with the exposed surfaces of the filler pieces so that a bottomsurface free of depressions or ridges is provided for the attachmentof'the outsole. Preferably, the filler pieces it: are formed a integralextensions of a covering 22 which is applied to the footiacing side ofthe insole. This covering 22, which may consist of kid or other softupper leather and which is intended to take the place of the usual socklining, is cut so as entirely to cover the foot side of the insole. Thefiller piece extensions or tabs 25 are folded over the edge andoverlapped upon the recessed side of the insole, the tabs as well as thebody portion of the covering being preferably secured to the insole bymeans of cement. The covering 22, with the tabs 223, may be applied tothe insole after the strapreceiving recesses have been formed therein,in which event the locations of the recesses may be determined by theuse of suitable patterns and the locations marked in any appropriatemanner upon the insole. As herein illustrated, however, the covering 22is applied before the recesses are formed in the insole. Thus, the tabs2t serve to gage the locations of therecesses in the insole, the spacesbetween the tabs indicating where the dies it are to be positioned inorder that the recesses ill shall be properly located to receive thestraps. If no recesses are to be formed in the shank and heel portionsof the insole, the covering 22 may be shaped, as shown,

to provide suiiicient surplu marginal material to.

be folded over the edge and to overlap the outsole-facing side of theinsole so as to constitute an edge binding 24 for the insole in the heeland shank portion thereof. Advantageously, the covering 22 may be cutout by means oi a die, the die being so shaped that the tabs 28 will beproperly located relatively to the recesses Iii or to the localitieswhere the recesses are to be formed. It will noted that the portions ofthe tabs 26 which overlie the edge of the insole in the localitiesbetween the recesses it serve as edge covering or binding means for theinsole in these localities. The edge portions of the insole which areuncovered between the tabs 28 will be covered by means of the strapsthemselves so that in the completed shoe the insole will have nounfinished edge portions exposed to view.

In the manufacture of a sandal embodying the above-described insole, theinsole is positioned uponthe bottom of a last 26 (Fig. 4) and securedthereon as by means of tacks 28. A forepart upper assembly comprising aplurality of crossstraps at is placed upon the last and the individualstraps are successively tensioned around the last and their end portionslaid in the respective recesses iii in the insole and secured in placetherein as by mean of cement and/or suitable fastenings. A illustrated,curved wire staples 32 are employed as the fastening means, the staplesbeing embedded in the compressed and consolidated insole materialbeneath the recesses Ill without penetrating the surface at the footside of the insole. Thus, the points oi the staple legs will not enteror penetrate the covering 22 and consequently they will not causediscomfort to the foot nor will they be visible in the interior of theshoe bottom. The operation of securing the strap Within the insolerecesses by means of curved staples may conveniently be performed by theuse of a staple side lasting machine, such as that disclosed in UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 1,815,295., granted July 21, 1931, uponapplication of George Goddu. Inasmuch as the pertions of the insoleimmediately beneath the ends of the straps have been compressed orconsolidated in the process of forming the recesses, these portions havenot been weakened (as would be the case if material had been removedfrom the insole in the process of forming the recesses) and consequentlythese portions of the insole will be even stronger than, or at least asstrong as, the unrecessed portions thereof. Consequently, the stapleswill be securely anchored within the insole material and the straps willbe firmly and eifectively secured in place so that they will not beliable to become loosened or detached from the insole during the wearingof the shoe. After the end portions of the straps have been secured inplace within the recesses, a above described, any surplus strap materialextending inwardly beyond the recesses will be trimmed away anda'suitable filler piece 34 may be applied to fill the shoe bottom cavitywithin the trimmed ends of the straps. As shown, a heel part or quarter36 (which may be a premolded heel part) is assembled with the otherparts of the shoe upon the last and the bottom margin of the heel partis secured in overlasted position upon the insole as by means of tacks38. A suitable shank stiffener as may be secured to the insole.

The shoe botto'm'is then prepared for the ce= men't attachment of anoutsole by roughing the exposed surfaces of the inturned end portions ofthe straps 30, the bottom margin of the back part 36, the tabs 20, andthe margins 24 of the covering 22, after which these roughened sur facesare coated with pyroxylin cement. An outsole 42 is prepared in the usualway with a roughened margin at its attaching side and this margin iscoated with pyroxylin cement. The cement coatings on the shoe bottom andon the outsole are permitted to dry and just before the outsole is to beattached the dried coatings are activated by means of a suitable solventand the outsole is attached by the use of a cement sole attaching pressin a well-lmown manner.

In the finished shoe, inasmuch as the outer surfaces of the overlastedend portions of the upper straps are flush with the outer surfaces ofthe tabs 20, there 'will be no undesirable ridges or irregularitieseither in the outsole or the insole where the straps are inturnedbetween the soles. The straps will be much more securely anchored to theinsole than has been the case heretofore where the strap have beenattached to portions of the insole that have been decidedly weakened bythe removal of material therefrom in the process of forming thestrap-receiving recesses. In the present construction, on the otherhand, the insole material is in no way weakened but is actuallystrengthened by compressing and consolidating the insole materialresulting from the forming of the recesses in the insole by pressureapplying operations. The straps, being secured, as herein illustrated,by means of fastenings to these consolidated portions of the insole, areanchored in such a way as to preclude any risk of becoming loosened orseparated from the insole during the life of the shoe. Moreover, due tothe presence of the tabs between the inner and outer soles in thelocalities between the straps and the fact that these tabs are formed asintegral extensions of the covering on the foot side of the insole, afar more satisfactory bonding of the outsole to the shoe bottom may beobtained in the cement attaching of the outsole than if the outsole wereattached directly to the insole between the straps. This is particularlytrue in cases where the insole is made of the customary manufacturedleather substitute material, since while the surface of such materialmay become firmly cemented to the outsole the fibers or laminations ofthe insole material will separate rather easily, allowing the outsole tobecome loose. In addition, the tabs 20 constitute coverings for the edgeof the insole where the insole is exposed to View in the localitiesbetween the straps.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. That improvement in methods of making insoles for strap sandals whichconsists in pro viding an insole of readily compressible andsubstantially inelastic material, and simultaneously compacting aplurality of relatively narrow portions spaced from one another alongthe margin of the insole, thereby compacting and consolidating theinsole material in said portions and providing in one side of theinsole, a plurality of marginal strap-receiving recesses withoutweakening the insole in the vicinity of the recesses.

2. That improvement in methods of making insoles for strap sandals whichconsists in providing an insole covering having a body portion of insolesize and shape and having a plurality of tabs spaced from one anotheralong the margin of said body portion, securing the body portion of saidcovering to one side of an insole, folding said tabs over the edge andthe opposite side of said insole and securing said tabs to the insole,and forming marginal strap-receiving recesses in said insole in thelocalities between said tabs.

3. That improvement in methods of making insoles for strap sandals whichconsists in providing an insole of readily compressible andsubstantially inelastic material forming an insole covering having abody portion of insole size and shape and having a plurality of tabsspaced from one another along the margin of said body portion, securingthe body portion of said covering to one side of said insole, foldingsaid tabs over the edge and the opposite side of said insole andsecuring the tabs to the insole and compressing the marginal portions ofthe insole in the plurality of marginal strap-receiving depressions inthe'insole without weakening the depressed portions thereof.

4. That improvement in methods of making insoles for strap sandals whichconsists in forming a sock lining of insole size and shape having aplurality of tabs spaced from one another along its margin, applyingsaid sock lining to an insole so as to cover one side only of theinsole, and folding said tabs only over the edge face and the oppositeside of said insole and securing said tabs in place, thereby definingmarginal recesses in the edge face and in one side of the insole forreceiving the end portions of sandal straps.

5. That improvement in methods of making insoles for strap sandals whichconsists in forming a sock lining of insole size and shape having aplurality of tabs spaced from one another along the margin of itforepart and having a marginal extension in its shank and heel portions,applying said lining to an insole so as to cover one side of the insole,folding said tabs and said exlocalities between said tabs, therebyproviding a tension over the edge and overlapping them upon the oppositside of said insole and securing them to the insole, and formingmarginal strap-receiving recesses in said insole in the localitiesbetween said tabs.

6. That improvement in methods of makin insoles for strap sandals whichconsists in forming a sock lining of insole size and shape having aplurality of tabs spaced apart substantial distances from one anotheralong the margin of said lining and applying said lining to an insole soas to cover one side of the insole, folding said tabs over the edge andopposite side of said insole and securing them to the insole, andcompressing the marginal portion of the insole simultaneously in thelocalities between said tabs thereby forming in the insole a pluralityof strapreceiving depressions in said localities without weakening thedepressed portions of the insole.

7. For use in making strap sandals, an insole having in one side aplurality of marginal strapreceiving recesses and having marginalportions between said recesses which are thicker than the unrecessedportions of the insole, the material in the portions of the insole wheresaid recesses are formed being compressed and consolidated to asubstantial extent relatively to the material in the rest of the insole.

8. For use in making strap sandals, an insole having in one side aplurality of marginal recesses for receiving the end portions of sandalstraps, and a sock lining secured to and covering the opposite side ofsaidinsole, and a plurality of tabs spaced apart along the margin ofsaid sock lining, said tabs covering the edge and the recessed side ofsaid insole in localities between said recesses.

9. For use in making strap sandals, an insole, a sock lining comprisinga portion coextensive with and secured to one side only of the insole,and a plurality of tabs formed integrally with said portion, said tabsbeing spaced apart alon the edge of the latter and being overlapped uponthe edge face and inturned upon the opposite side of the insole therebyforming strap-receiving recesses between adjacent tabs at the edge andat the uncovered side of the insole.

10. A strap sand-a1 comprising an insole, a covering secured to the footside of the insole, a plurality of tabs spaced apart along the edge ofsaid covering, said tabs being secured in overlapped positions upon theopposite surface of the insole, a plurality of straps having endportions secured in overlasted positions upon the insole, in localitiesbetween said tabs, and an outsole attached to said strap portions and tosaid tabs.

11. A strap sandal comprising an insole having in its outsole-facingside a plurality of marginal strap-receiving depressions and having thematerial in the portions of the insole Where said depressions are formedcompressed and consolidated to a substantial extent relatively to thematerial in the rest of the insole, a plurality of straps having endportions the thickness of which is greater than the depth of saiddepressions received in overlasted positions in said depressions,fastening devices securing said strap portions to the insole, saiddevices extending into said compressed and consolidated portions of theinsole but not penetrating the surface at the foot-facing side of theinsole, an outsole of uniform edge thickness attached to said strapportions, and

filler pieces secured to the outsole facing side of the insole andlocated only in the localities between said depressions, said piecesfilling the marginal spaces between said soles in the localities betweensaid straps.

12. A strap sandal comprising an insole having a plurality of marginaldepressions spaced substantial distances apart in its outsole-facingside, a plurality of upper straps having inturned end portions receivedwithin said depressions and secured to the insole, a sock liningcovering the foot side of the insole and having spaced marginal tabssecured in inturned overlapping positions upon the outsole-facing sideof the insole, said tabs being disposed only in localities between saiddepressions, and an outsole secured by means of adhesive to said strapportions and to said tabs.

- WILLIAM H. NUT'I.

